Ancient Armenian church to be renovated in Turkey in 2018

The municipal authorities in Turkey’s central Anatolian town of Kayseri have approved a renovation plan for the Armenian church of St Gregory the Illuminator.

According to Hurriyet, an estimated 3.5 million Turkish Liras ($875.000) will be spent on the project which proposes also repairing a 150-year old Armenian college in the church’s yard.

The initiators are scheduling to start the renovation in early 2018.

Situated in an ancient Armenian district, the church, dating from 1191, was earlier renovated three times (in 1663, 1859 and 1885).

It is also known as a popular pilgrimage site. The legend goes that Kayseri was the very city where Gregory the Illuminator familiarized himself with Christianity to later spread the religion among the Armenian people.